Container for cakes, crackers, and the like



Jan. 23, 1923. 1,443,207

F, R. BLOUNT. CONTAINER FOR CAKES CRACKERS AND THE LIKE.

FILED Dec, 13. I921v 'muz/a 1i 11105012,"

7 1 NV EN TOR.

W A TTORNEY Patented Jan. 23, 1923.

UNITED STATES FRANK R. BLOUNT, OF PUNTA GORDA, FLORIDA.

CONTAINER FOB, CAKES, CRACKERS, AND THE LID (E.

Application filed December 13, 1921. Serial No. 522,182.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK R. BLocxT, a citizen of the United States, residin at Punta Gorda, in the'count v of Char otte and State of Florida, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Containers for Cakes, Crackers, and the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to containers for cakes, crackers, and other articles, and more particularly to containers of this character used to display as well as to hold the goods.

The object of the invention is to provide a can or box having a longitudinally movable adjustable false bottom so constructed as to be frictionally held at any desired point within the can.

Another object is to provide a can of this character having a removable top and an opening in its bottom with a freely movable detached closure therefor mounted in the can adapted to be moved inwardly by the insertion of the hand or finger through said 0 ening and which will drop back and close t e (:pening when tension thereon is remore and a follower or false bottom arranged in the'can between the two closures and constructed to be frictionally held at any desired point in the can to support the goods carried thereby.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction as hereinafter shown, de scribed and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings F igure 1 represents a transverse vertical section of a can constructed in accordance with this invention,

Fig. 2 is a bottom plan view thereof,

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view of the false bottom or follower,

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the follower removed, and.

Fig. 5 is a. similar view of the movable closure for the bottom opening.

In the embodiment illustrated. a rectangular sheet metal can 1 is shown, although obviously it may be of any desired configuration and composed of any suitable material. The can, here shown. is of the character used by the manufacturing company in shipping its goods to its customers and which is returned ordinarily to the companv for refilling. although obviously it may be owned as the property of the merchant.

This can 1 has a bottom 2 with an opening 3 therein of any desired size and configuration provided it be sufficiently large to permit the insertion of the fingers or hand of the user. for a purpose presently to be described.

A removable outer fla closure 4 is preferably used in connection with this container to render it dust and air tight although obviously this closure 4 may be omitted if desired.

The can 1 is also equip ed with a top closure 5, preferably in the form of a transparent metal bound lid which. may be either removably or hingedl v mounted on the can, the transparent portion 6 thereof being designed to permit the inspection of the goods or contents of the can.

An article supporting follower or false bottom 7 which is removably mounted in the can 1, is preferably com sed of sheet metal in the form shown in ig. 4 to conform to the cross sectional contour of the can 1 in connection with which it is used and as shown here is rectangular. This follower T has upstanding side flanges 8 which flare slight v outward and are provided at their free edges with downturned lips 9 ada ted to frictionall engage the inner faces 0 the side walls 0 the can, as shown clearly in Fig. 1. and frict-ionally su port the follower T at any desired point witliin the can. This tray or follower 7 is preferably equipped with a layer of wax paper 10 in the bottom thereof on which the cakes or other articles rest and which protects them from contact with the metal bottom of the tray.

From the above description, it will be seen that this tray 7 may be moved upwardly or forwardly so that as the top layer of the contents is removed, the lower or underncath layer or,la vers may be lifted or raised to a point adjacent the top 5 so that said container will always have the appearance of being filled, rendering the goods more salable. as well as more convenient for their removal. Ordinarily, containers of this character stand on arack or shelf at an angle of about forty-five degrees so that a purchaserin passing may readily view the contents. Ifthe contents of the can have been partially removed, the remainder of course in an ordinary container would rest near the bottom of the container and possibly give the impression that the crackers or cookies were old and not desirable. 'ith the tray herein shown, the crackers or other When all of the contents have been removed,

slightly the tray may be pushd back forcibly to the bottom of the can ready again for refilling.

A freely movable inner closure 11 for the opening 3 in the can bottom is preferably mounted in the can between the fixed or permanent bottom 2 and the tray 7, and as shown is in the form of a plate of a size smaller than the interior of the can 1 to a apt it to move freely in the can without friction and which ispreferably reinforced along its edges as shown at 12. This plate 11 normally lies over the opening 3 in the can bottom to assist in rotecting the contents of the'can against t e entrance of air and moisture, as well as dust. This plate 11 also is designed to be pressed against the bottom of the tray 7 when the latter is moved u ward reventing all possibility of the tray tom ing bent when so actuated and when the tray has been adjusted at the desired hei ht, the plate 11 will drop back and cover the opening 3 in the can bottom.

As shown, the body of the container 1 is provided at its upper end with an inwardly rolled head 1 which will prevent the removal of the tray 7 through the top of the container. The container is also shown equipped with a lining 13 of any suitable materal, preferably of cardboard which protects the wallsof the container from contact with the contents and also protects the contents against rust and the like incident to its contact with the metal walls of the container.

From the above description, it will be obvious that a container constructed as herein shown and described may be very cheaply manufactured and will yet display the goods to'the best possible advantage whether the can be full or nearly empty.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed in the drawings and set forth in the specification, but it will be understood that any modifications within the said flanges projecting outwardly from the bottom and havlng the end termini thereof disconnected and each of 'said flanges having a down-turned ear for frictional engagement with the walls of said body ortion to maintain said element in adjusted position, said element shifted through the opening in the inner end of the body portion.

2. A container comprising a body portion formed with a removable outer end and a fixed inner end provided with an opening, and a 'shi ftable supporting element mounted within said body portion including a bottom provided with side and end flanges of a length equal to the width of said bottom,

said flanges rojecting outwardly from the bottom and avlng the end termini thereof disconnected and each of said flanges having a down-turned ear for frictional engagement with the walls of said body ortion to maintain said element inadjuste position, said element shifted through'the opening in the inner end of the body portion, and a shiftable closure for the,opening in the inner end of said body ortion, said closure interposed between sai su porting element and the inner end of said ody portion.

3. A container comprising a body ortion formed with a removable outer en and a fixed inner end provided with an openin said bOdV portion in close proximity to said removable outer end formed with a continuous inwardly extending bead providing a stop, a shiftable supporting element mounted in said body portion and having its movement arrested by said bead and including a bottom provided with forwardl and outwardly profecting flange-s," said fliin s extending in c ose proximity to each ot er and having their termini disconnected, each of said flanges at its forward portion formed with an outwardly arranged and in-turned ear frictionally engagin with the wall of said body portion to maintain said element in the osition to which it has been adjusted, sai element shifted through the opening 1n the inner end of said body portion.

4. A container comprising a body ortion formed with a removable outer en 'and a fixed inner end provided with an. opening, said body portion in close proximity to said removable outer end formed with a continu-' ous inwardly extending bead providing a stop, a shiftable supporting element mounted in said bod portion and having its movement arreste by said head and including a bottom provided with forwardly and outwardly projecting flanges, said flanges extending in close proximity to each other and having their termini disconnected, each of said flanges at its forward portion formed with an outwardly arranged and in-turned ear frictionally engaging with the wall of said body portion to maintain said element in the position to which it has been adjusted,

said element shifted through the opening in the inner end of said body portion, and a shiftable closure for the opening in said inner end of the body portion, said closure interposed between said element and the inner end of said body portion.

5. A container comprising a body portion having its forward end open and its rear end closed and provided with an opening, a shiftable supporting element arranged within said body portion and provided with forwardly and outwardly projecting flanges formed with ears for frictional engagement with the walls of the body portion to maintain said element to the position to which it has been shifted and a shiftable closure for the inner end of the body portion, said closure interposed between said element and the inner end of the body portion and normally closing the opening in said inner end. h In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature ereto.

FRANK R. BLOUNT. 

